Design of wave barriers for reduction of horizontal ground vibration

Wave barriers are often installed in the ground to reduce high-frequency ground vibrations induced by man-made sources such as traffic or machine foundations. This type of ground vibration could be a major problem in densely populated urban areas and for structures housing sensitive equipments. This paper investigates the effectiveness of rectangular wave barriers (solid obstacles) in reducing the horizontal ground vibration caused by propagating surface waves. A rigorous boundary element method (BEM) algorithm incorporating higher-order elements is used to conduct an extensive numerical study of the influence of various key geometrical and material parameters on the screening efficiency of a rectangular barrier. Important dimensionless parameters are identified. Based on the influence of these parameters, a simple model is developed for the design of wave barriers for horizontal vibration screening. Finally, some numerical examples are presented and through comparisons with results from the rigorous BEM technique, the applicability and usefulness of the developed model is established.